Heh, nothing like the real deal I figure...?
Now that we took care of DB + the so-called Big Three with the polls, it's time to gasp at straws :3
Also, let's start the final, longest chapter of the story!
Enjoy!
Chapter 4: For The One Truth
“...Yes, as you wish, Mistress.”
The crystal ball flickered, magical characters swirling within it.
“Wha-!? For me? Oh, but that’s simply a waste…”
Looking at its contents, Airi humbly shook her hands with a bright smile.
“I’ve done nothing to deserve such kindness…”
And yet, even though she politely declined, the happy smile filling her features never left her.
“Understood. I will do my utmost to not let you down.”
And with those parting words, the light from the crystal ball slowly faded.
[This will be the last I speak with Mistress this way. Next time, I’ll be speaking to her directly.]
She’d learned that for her Mistress’ purposes, all she needed was Fio’s power of healing; so his sex was of little importance in the matter. More importantly, to further motivate the wraith in the completion of her mission, her Mistress had promised her a reward: any one wish Airi requested of her.
“All the more reason to bring the young master with me.”
Airi already knew what to ask: after Fio dies in the sacrifice, she’d ask for him to be made a wraith like herself. That way, her Mistress could listen to him sing anytime she wanted.
“I mustn't fail.”
Determined, she turned away from the crystal ball.
“Hm?”
And that’s when a lesser spirit caught her sight.
(This ain’t good, this ain’t good.)
Interrupting the silence, it zoomed towards the redhead at breakneck speed.
“What is it? And must you always be so loud?”
(Sorry about that, y’see, we’re “Poltergeists” and that means “Noisy Spirit,” so what can ya do, y’know?)
Seemingly unaware of the chiding Airi attempted to give it, the spirit stopped in the air right in front of her.
“That certainly does explain a lot, knowing you.”
(But forget about that! Lady Airi, this so ain’t good!)
“What isn’t?”
(We got company.)
“Ah, she’s earlier than anticipated.”
The maid spoke casually, as if the news wasn’t that much of news to her.
“If said intruder is a certain Warrior Priestess, I expect you all to do your best.”
(But it ain’t just her! She’s got somebody with her!)
“Well now, there’s a surprise.”
She expected Tomoe, since all she’d done was have her ghouls strip and immobilize the priestess for a while, but she never thought Leina would be here too… well, not so soon after having all her essence drained at least.
“Well, present or not, Miss Leina is barely a concern. The real problem is Miss Tomoe.”
Hailing from Hinomoto, the capital of fiend extermination so to speak, Tomoe was the leading Warrior Priestess of the Masakado Shrine and had more than enough power to vanquish whatever Airi threw at her. Should the Warrior Priestess have come fully equipped this time, it’d be almost unreasonable of Airi to even order the lesser spirits to stand up to her. Still, she didn’t have the time to summon a skeleton swordsman now. She also couldn’t keep abusing the magic circle she’d been given by her Mistress any more than she already had. She needed to preserve what she could for her final task.
“This certainly is a problem.”
[I wonder how long the traps within the underground corridor can hold them…?]
Airi frowned, a doubtful look on her face.
***
Just the mere sight of the priestess’ flaming amulets was enough to send the lesser spirits under Airi’s command running and screaming in terror.
“We no longer need fear the undead!”
Tomoe boasted, her hands holding the flaming amulets the lesser spirits were so visibly afraid of.
[That’s a Warrior Priestess for you. I can really count on her.]
“Having you here is a big help, Tomoe.”
Leina voiced her honest appreciation.
“Think nothing of it. More importantly, are we still on the right track?”
“Yeah, no doubt about it.”
Leina confirmed, looking to the bloody trail dotting the floor.
[Airi may be able to make herself disappear, but she couldn’t do the same for Fio or his nosebleed for that matter.]
Thanks to this helpful little sign, the chase after the wraith had been made all the quicker.
“We can’t waste too much time however.”
The heiress added, now anxious. To leave enough blood behind to make a trail would mean quite the drain on Fio’s physical reserves. For someone to keep losing blood like this, unchecked… things could go south for Fio before the two even find him.
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